Snowboarding is a sport where a user (a.k.a. a “rider” or a “snowboarder”) binds to a relatively thin board for the purposes of sliding on snow in a manner similar to skiing. Snowboarding has been in existence for several decades and continues to be very popular to this day. Snowboarding allows a user to feel more closely connected to the slope of the mountain by allowing the snowboarder to “surf” the mountain. The advantages of snowboarding over skiing have been argued extensibly and continue to be argued to this day.
One certain advantage of snowboarding over skiing is the fact that snowboarders use snowboard boots that are relatively comfortable when compared to ski boots. Like skis, snowboards have bindings that bind the boots of the snowboarder to the snowboard so that the snowboarder can control the motion of the snowboard via the snowboarder's body. Snowboard bindings are removably/adjustably affixed to a single top surface of the snowboard as opposed to the bindings of two skis. And, snowboard boots are more like typical snow boots, as opposed to the rigid plastic boots of skiers, and allow the snowboarder to walk more normally than the clumsily navigated walk of a skier wearing ski boots.
Another advantage of snowboarding resides in the fact that the snowboarder does not use or otherwise require “poles” to navigate the snowboard down a mountain. As poles are not used in snowboarding, snowboarders have less gear to transport to the base of the mountain where the “lift” is located. For example, skiers and snowboarders alike generally carry their equipment from their car or their residence to a lift at the base of the mountain which carries the skiers/snowboarders upwards such that they may traverse down the snow-covered surface of the mountain. Skiers generally carry their skis and ski poles often using one hand, both hands, on shoulder, or in some otherwise contrived fashion to transport their skis to the lift. Snowboarders, on the other hand, simply grab their snowboards with one hand under an edge of the snowboard with a flat side of the snowboard resting against the body of the snowboarder. From there, the snowboarder simply walks to the lift and “straps in”, being substantially ready to surf the mountain after being dropped off by the lift.
While the lesser amount of equipment is an advantage of snowboarding over skiing, snowboarders are still generally required to use a hand to transport their snowboard to the lift. Some additional equipment has been commercially presented to overcome this obstacle. For example, backpacks exist that allow a snowboarder to use straps to lash the snowboard to the snowboarder's back via the backpack. This is often desirable when the snowboarder is traversing mountains in the ungroomed/unmanaged “backcountry” because the snowboarder typically needs to bring supplies such as food, and extra carry on equipment such as avalanche gear on the outing. However, most snowboarders (and skiers for that matter) tend to ride on the slopes of groomed and/or managed “resort like” mountains such as those operated by Vail Resorts, Inc. Accordingly, there is less need for supplies and carry on equipment when the snowboarder goes out, resulting in less need for a bulky backpack during a snowboarder's ride.